moosefever
10-03-2010, 10:17 PM
Well we (decker and myself) got back from the 437 mountains a couple of days ago. When we got to the staging area, 3 Jeeps had just come down from the mountains. We packed up and climbed 3/4 of the way to the tree line and set up camp. Tent was complete with an 8 foot electric perimeter fence. Nice for a relaxing piece of mind at night.
That days scouting reveled 5 rams about 3 to 4 miles from camp then on the way back just before dark, we seen anther 16 sheep on a different ridgeline but it was to dark to tell what they were.
After a lazy morning we climbed up to investigate the closer herd. We found 8 being met by another 14. We could tell they were rams of assorted sizes. When we got closer 15 had left and could only see the last 3 or 4 and they were all sub-legal. The 7 that were left were also sub-legal. We tried to go around them, we got within 150 yards and they spooked of the edge and went around the backside to where the others had headed. Decker stayed high and I stayed low on the opposite side, and thats when decker pointed out a wolverine running accross a snow pile (pretty cool). We never did see the rams again, as when they go off the the back side, the terrain gets pretty nasty but that's how they escape. That stuff looks easy to go down, but now way out for me. On the way out a storm set in and our rain gear was required. We started climbing up a ridge and noticed a smaller ram coming over the top towards us while we were in the wide open. He kept coming towards us and stopped at about 80 yards and laid down. We didn't know what was up, so I set my pack down and tried to get close to him for pictures. He finally stood up while I approached, meanwhile decker is filming this, I got to about 10 yards from him and I talked to him the whole way there and then he slowly walked off. Now if I could have had his grandpa do this?????
The following day we wqent is search of the 5 rams on the dstant ridges. We spotted a few small ones close to where the were and after glassing for a while we decided to get closer for a look at som of the grass bowls. Funny how a distant slop with small rocks on the side turns out to be a mountain with a 45 dgree angle with coffe table size stones for a half mile. We proceded down a draw to the bottom to refresh our water bottles (man does that fresh water taste like heaven) and decker noticed a few rams about 700 yards up the bowl and THE STALK WAS ON!! We noticed the first three were to small but noticed more lying in the rocks. We closed the distance by belly crawling and slithering through what trees we had until the last tree and still 360 yards to go. There were many rams but could not tell sizes except that 1 or 2 could possibly be legal but we needed to get much closer. So back down we go, into the trees and onto the cliff edge and coffe table rocks and start the dreaded climb up whle the winds were at about 50 - 60 mph. That was some crazy crap. We finally climbed as much as we dared and took off our packs and shimmied to the edge with guns and binoculars. There they were at 162 yards, 12 rams! We found the honey hole! We spent the next 1/2 hours trying to figure out which one was legal. They were all in a tight group and had us pegged. 2 were definately small and 8 were about 1 to 2 inches to short of legal, but 2 were so close. We figured 1 who had a small tight curl was about 1 inch to the good. There was another that kept looking at us straight on that had a lot more mass, width and length. This dirty bugger just kept staring straight at us then finally started to turn, but only enough to stop and give a big yawn -- Gimme a friggin break! It was getting very hard to keep looking through my scope and trying to not slide back down the mountain. We had to keep taking turns looking as eye strain was getting incredible. We did get a quick look at the bigger one when he turned around and thought he was legal. I should mention the of them all one was very light in color with an almost white face and another was a deep chocolate brown, man was he cool looking. These sheep kept in a tight group with no room for a shot. With eyes straining and having to let up, I lost the bigger one for a moment and all of a sudden they all looked the same. They then started to go single file up the mountain and were now about 200 yards away (what a horrible sinking feeling in our guts). We then decided to go out and boogie up the side of the mountain and head them off up top (about 400 yrds away). Holy sheep sh## was that a son of a beeep to climb. I have never been so winded and dry from the 60 mph winds. We just caught them at the top, but they were all single file at about 125 yards 1/4 ing away moving. I let out a yell to see if the would stop before going over the top and all they did was suck in the butts and pick it up about 50 notches. Again we climbed and when we got to the top, nothing but sheer slopes andsow covered ledges, they were gone. Frick did I feel like jumping myself. With our heads low we did the 4 - 5 hr journey back to camp. Man I suck!!! Again we had to deal with the hurricane force winds all the the way back to camp (2 steps forward and 3 to the side) I have never had to walk in such winds before in my life, it was almost frightning in a way.
I should also say that these sheep would have probably been closer to camp but once those Jeeps climbed a rock face and got past the treeline, they drove all over hell on those ridge tops for miles, what a shame for that beautiful country and sheep hunting.
I do hope to get back there for a late season hunt possibly.
I have a ton of pictures but they are to big for posting.
I also have a newfound respect for all you sheep hunters -- OH OH I think the bug has bit me -- DOH !!
A big THANK YOU to my buddy -- decker -- for all his help and advice on this trip, it was great to get out and hunt with you again!!
moosefever
That days scouting reveled 5 rams about 3 to 4 miles from camp then on the way back just before dark, we seen anther 16 sheep on a different ridgeline but it was to dark to tell what they were.
After a lazy morning we climbed up to investigate the closer herd. We found 8 being met by another 14. We could tell they were rams of assorted sizes. When we got closer 15 had left and could only see the last 3 or 4 and they were all sub-legal. The 7 that were left were also sub-legal. We tried to go around them, we got within 150 yards and they spooked of the edge and went around the backside to where the others had headed. Decker stayed high and I stayed low on the opposite side, and thats when decker pointed out a wolverine running accross a snow pile (pretty cool). We never did see the rams again, as when they go off the the back side, the terrain gets pretty nasty but that's how they escape. That stuff looks easy to go down, but now way out for me. On the way out a storm set in and our rain gear was required. We started climbing up a ridge and noticed a smaller ram coming over the top towards us while we were in the wide open. He kept coming towards us and stopped at about 80 yards and laid down. We didn't know what was up, so I set my pack down and tried to get close to him for pictures. He finally stood up while I approached, meanwhile decker is filming this, I got to about 10 yards from him and I talked to him the whole way there and then he slowly walked off. Now if I could have had his grandpa do this?????
The following day we wqent is search of the 5 rams on the dstant ridges. We spotted a few small ones close to where the were and after glassing for a while we decided to get closer for a look at som of the grass bowls. Funny how a distant slop with small rocks on the side turns out to be a mountain with a 45 dgree angle with coffe table size stones for a half mile. We proceded down a draw to the bottom to refresh our water bottles (man does that fresh water taste like heaven) and decker noticed a few rams about 700 yards up the bowl and THE STALK WAS ON!! We noticed the first three were to small but noticed more lying in the rocks. We closed the distance by belly crawling and slithering through what trees we had until the last tree and still 360 yards to go. There were many rams but could not tell sizes except that 1 or 2 could possibly be legal but we needed to get much closer. So back down we go, into the trees and onto the cliff edge and coffe table rocks and start the dreaded climb up whle the winds were at about 50 - 60 mph. That was some crazy crap. We finally climbed as much as we dared and took off our packs and shimmied to the edge with guns and binoculars. There they were at 162 yards, 12 rams! We found the honey hole! We spent the next 1/2 hours trying to figure out which one was legal. They were all in a tight group and had us pegged. 2 were definately small and 8 were about 1 to 2 inches to short of legal, but 2 were so close. We figured 1 who had a small tight curl was about 1 inch to the good. There was another that kept looking at us straight on that had a lot more mass, width and length. This dirty bugger just kept staring straight at us then finally started to turn, but only enough to stop and give a big yawn -- Gimme a friggin break! It was getting very hard to keep looking through my scope and trying to not slide back down the mountain. We had to keep taking turns looking as eye strain was getting incredible. We did get a quick look at the bigger one when he turned around and thought he was legal. I should mention the of them all one was very light in color with an almost white face and another was a deep chocolate brown, man was he cool looking. These sheep kept in a tight group with no room for a shot. With eyes straining and having to let up, I lost the bigger one for a moment and all of a sudden they all looked the same. They then started to go single file up the mountain and were now about 200 yards away (what a horrible sinking feeling in our guts). We then decided to go out and boogie up the side of the mountain and head them off up top (about 400 yrds away). Holy sheep sh## was that a son of a beeep to climb. I have never been so winded and dry from the 60 mph winds. We just caught them at the top, but they were all single file at about 125 yards 1/4 ing away moving. I let out a yell to see if the would stop before going over the top and all they did was suck in the butts and pick it up about 50 notches. Again we climbed and when we got to the top, nothing but sheer slopes andsow covered ledges, they were gone. Frick did I feel like jumping myself. With our heads low we did the 4 - 5 hr journey back to camp. Man I suck!!! Again we had to deal with the hurricane force winds all the the way back to camp (2 steps forward and 3 to the side) I have never had to walk in such winds before in my life, it was almost frightning in a way.
I should also say that these sheep would have probably been closer to camp but once those Jeeps climbed a rock face and got past the treeline, they drove all over hell on those ridge tops for miles, what a shame for that beautiful country and sheep hunting.
I do hope to get back there for a late season hunt possibly.
I have a ton of pictures but they are to big for posting.
I also have a newfound respect for all you sheep hunters -- OH OH I think the bug has bit me -- DOH !!
A big THANK YOU to my buddy -- decker -- for all his help and advice on this trip, it was great to get out and hunt with you again!!
moosefever